When does loss of taste and smell normally come on with CV19? Before major symptoms, during, after?

Co-worker had what he thought was sinus issues. Low grade fever never over 100, drainage into ears and chest with a somewhat productive cough. Started feeling better but now has no taste or smell. Does still have head congestion.

I've read this is not uncommon among those with covid 19. But I've also read this happens with other respiratory illnesses.

Usually early in the process. We believe it will be a common finding among those you had little to no symptoms. I would isolate coworker with those symptoms as could be mild case of COVID. Of course could just be a sinus infection too.

abram97 said:

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That almost always happens to me when I get a cold with sinus congestion. Not all the time but most of the time. Doesn't this happen to almost everybody with colds???

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Yes it's annoying. Kind of odd how ur smell just comes back out of nowhere when ur cold is winding down.

Abram, Jesus, and Reveille are all correct (quite the ecumenical little t trinity there). Our ENT Academy is asking physicians to report the symptom in order to track it. Cods normally cause lots of nasal congestion, which is normally the cause of loss of sense of smell when someone is sick. Allergies do the same thing. Severe colds and flu illnesses can cause cell death in the smell fibers. This can be permanent.

There are a number of people who have COVID-19 and get no symptoms at all. Many get loss of sense of smell (and taste), some of these will have no other symptoms, while some will progress to a worsening disease presentation. COVID-19 does not typically present with a lot of the typical cold symptoms of nasal congestion, sneezing, and clear or colored nasal drainage.